For a while, the “Fast and Furious” franchise struggled with some kind of identity crisis. Each installment, while fun to watch, didn’t really decide on whether it was a film for car enthusiasts, adrenaline junkies or the more sappy folk.
And whenever each filmmaker tried to combine all three they ended up providing us with a muddled mess of action pieces that didn’t know what to do with themselves.
Then comes horror guru, James Wan (“The Conjuring”), who initially sparked a hint of doubt within fans, many saying that he’d drive the franchise to the ground.
Instead, the director brings us what’s probably the best “Fast and Furious” film yet despite the insurmountable task he was given and the tragic circumstances it came in.
I’ll have to admit that I was a tad skeptical when it came to Wan’s transition from horror to big-budget franchises like “Fast and Furious,” but he proved that he’s as versatile as his movies by being able to give us a variety of expertise.
“Furious 7” takes place, chronologically, after the events of “The Fast and The Furious: Tokyo Drift” when Deckard Shaw (Jason Statham) is on the hunt for who almost killed his little brother, Owen Shaw (Luke Evans), starting with Han (Sung Kang).
In return, Dom (Vin Diesel), Brian (Paul Walker) and the crew seek revenge of their own.
But instead of being a revenge thriller, eccentric government agent Mr. Nobody (Kurt Russell) sends them on a mission to rescue a hacker, Ramsey (Nathalie Emmanuel), who’ll then lead them to a program called God’s Eye.
Why? Because with God’s Eye the team will be able to track down Shaw via anything with a lens and/or microphone —it’s basically a digital manifestation of what the NSA does diligently — invade our privacy.
This subplot — what started off as a subplot — is what ends up being the main focus of Chris Morgan‘s script. Everything that happens and everywhere the team goes is all purposed for God’s Eye.
And while the hunt for God’s Eye is a win-win, it’s somewhat unnecessary, as all that our characters need to do to avenge Han is simply wait for Shaw to come their way.
“Furious 7” also has its fair share of one-liners. Most of them perfectly fit and compliment the franchise’s silly and over-the-top tone, but some exchanges of words between characters just made me cringe.
Two in particular that come to mind are during a brawl between Letty (Michelle Rodriguez) and a female bodyguard played by UFC fighter Ronda Rousey — the scene was undeniably entertaining but was a poor display of the champion’s acting chops.
Granted, the franchise never takes itself too seriously, and it’s amazing to see what Wan did with “Furious 7,” especially when you consider the massive hurdles he, the cast and crew came across.
What I loved about Wan’s approach to “Furious 7” was him applying the same, innovative cinematography and editing found in his horror movies.
What’s most notable are the fight scenes, as the camera would often spin and tumble simultaneously with each flip and fall. And, instead of overusing queasy cam and overcutting in the fight scenes, Wan goes easy on the editing and shows them clearly, giving us a smooth look at each fight and sparing us massive headaches at the same time.
The movie is flawed, and the absence of Walker is unavoidable; but Wan and the crew were able to stand together more strongly than their movie counterparts and firmly capture the tone of the whole franchise while giving the late actor’s onscreen character, Brian, the perfect send-off — which may or may not have broken the fourth wall.
From the precisely handled action sequences to the white, angelic Supra driving off into the horizon, “Furious 7” is undoubtedly the franchise’s best installment so far.
